Carpet-stretcher.



'en M. SBIPBL a c. GRIBSHABER.

CARPET STBETGHBR. APPLIOATION FILED 00T. 18, 1907.

Patented Feb'. 2., 1909.

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14m-moans PETERS cal, wAsHmaroN. D. c4

GEORGE M. SEIIEL ANDV CARL` GBIESHABER' OF PERIA, ILLINOIS.

CARPET-STRETCI-ER.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2, 1909.

Application filed vOctober 18, 1907. Serial No. 398,127.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE M. SEIPEL and CARL GRInsI-IABER, citizens of the United States, residing at Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carpet-Stretchers; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, cleaiga'ndv exact description of the invention, which will enable' Y others skilled in the art toV which it appertains to make and use'the same.

This invention relates to a carpet stretcher.

It has for its object to provide a cheap and simply constructed device well ada ted for stretching carpets, matting and linoleum without tearing, breaking or harming them 1n any manner. A l

A further'object is to provide `a stretcher which will firmly clamp the car et or other article and through which considerable leverage can be obtained so that the carpet may be perfectly stretched and evenly laid.

In the appended drawing .Figure l is a side view of the carpet stretcher showing a piece of carpet therein. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same. Fig. 3 is a modified form of a portion of the stretcher. Fig. 4 shows the manner ofusing the stretcher. Fig. 5 is a stamping of a form slightly modified-from that shown in Figs.` land 2. Fig. 6 is an edge view of a part of the stamping shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a modified form of stamping showing a strip attached thereto.

Our device consists of two stampings A B of sheet metal ofa thickness that will give the proper strength and rigidity without being too heavy. The Vlower member B has a loop C at one end, `the upper member A also having a loop E to correspond with C, the two constituting a hinge through the aid of a hinge fpin F. From the hinge the member A is pre erably extended upward to form aloop A of some considerable size asshown7 the other end of the member being suitably finlshed so as not to present any sharp surface as, for instance, by turning the edgeunder as shown at G. Both said plates are formed as by means of a die so as to have corresponding transverse corrugations II so that those of one member will substantially fit those of the other whereby when the article to be,

stretched is placed between them it will be firmly held by friction when the lates areV closed together and pressure broug` t to bear upon them in the act of stretching whether it be the carpet, linoleum or matting. The

end of `the lower member B opposite the hinge isprovided with integral downturned pointed lugs D substantially as shown the points adapted to rest upon and engage the floor will be presently understood.

`The manner of use isshown in Fig. Ll. The stretcher is first laid upon the floor and the upper portion A raised and the carpet is laid upon the bottom portion B the top portion A being then lowered upon it after which the device is raised upon .thepoint D as shown, using said points at the'iioor surface as a fulcrum for the stretcher which latter constltutesV a lever. Now by placing the hands upon the device substantially in the manner shown, the carpet is firmly clamped and pressure downward will stretch the carpet to any extent7 as will be clearly understood from said Fig. 4, this operation being repeated a sucient number of times to make the carpet as tight as desired. The weight of the operator upon the carpet holds it each time a new position of the points D upon the floor is taken. After being firmly stretched holding tacks are driven through the carpet in theusualway to Vhold it in place untilthe stretcher can be removed and the edge of the carpet laid snugly around the base board or carpet strip and tacked in place after which, of course, the holding-tacks are removed. The loop A is preferably provided so that in stretching linoleum or other like material it can be bent around within said loop as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and back upon itself without being broken. This lmanner of folding back the linoleum or carviding said loop A there is no chance of the linoleum being injured in any way as by .breaking or cracking it as would result if bent back abruptly. For stretching matting Ia device of thiskind is particularly of value for the reason that a large surface is clamped between the members A and B there being no danger of breaking its warp7 threads or of separating or breaking the straws or grass 0f i which it is composed.

In Fig. 3 is a modified form of the device in which the hinge is placed higher than that shown in Fig. 1 this form giving a better form of loo for accommodating the linoleum.

In ig. 5 we show a form of lower plate which is cheaper since less material is needed,

.the points J thereon, which corresponds to D in Figs. l and 2, extending rearward instead of sidewise from the member as in the case of the form shown in said Figs. 1 and 2. These pieces J are bent downward in the rear as shown in the edge view in Fig. 6. In Fig. 7 the member is stamped with a square end there being afterwards a transverse strip having pointed ends riveted thereto, the ends being bent downward after the manner shown in Fig. l. Evidently the plates A and B could be made light by'perforating them by means of a properly constructed die that would provide an artistic design or the plate could be cast and be provided with the de* sired perforations and in this way be light and strong, such changes being within the spirit and intent of our invention since ywe do not limit ourselves to the particular form described.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A carpet stretching device consisting of a substantially llat member havin@ an irregular upper surface and having members projecting downward from one end substantialhT at right angles to the plane of said member, a second member hinged at one end tothe first at the end opposite that having the said projecting members, said second member extending upward from its hinged end and thence downward in the form of an arch and. having a substantially iiat body adapted to lie upon the irst member, and having an irregular surface to substantially correspond. with that of the said iirst member.

2. A carpet stretching device consisting of two members hinged together at one end, one of said members being substantially straight and having downwardly extending lugs at its end remote from the hinge, the other member' extending up from said hinge and thence arel 1e ing over and down toward its companion and Athence extending substantially parallel thereto, both said members having a series of corrugations substantially as and for the purposes described.

ln testimony whereof we aliix our signatures, in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE M. SEIPEL. CARL GRIESHABER. Witnesses E. J. ABERsoL, L. M. THURLOW. 

